Post by yotemeal on Sept 19, 2014 11:39:02 GMT -6
As I observe the pre-conference league schedule -- scoreboard watching and, generally, cheering on our conference mates -- I'm again amazed by the apparent strength of the Valley. Take a team like Indiana State; no one expected much of them this year, but they just knocked off a MAC team. Western Illinois wasn't supposed to be much, yet they were within a score of Wisconsin in the second half before the wheels fell off (Keep an eye on them this weekend @ Northwestern). Illinois State and Southern Illinois both just trucked a ranked Eastern Illinois team. Youngstown is strong again; probably should've won @ Illinois. SDSU had to switch quarterbacks midstream versus Missouri -- a team I mistakenly found overrated -- and the Jacks held very tough. Until we prove folks otherwise, people can argue that USD is the Valley's weakest link, yet we just traveled to #4 Montana and gave them all they wanted.
Thus far, the Valley is 15-1 against FCS teams, the only loss the aforementioned Grizz game. The Valley is 2-8 against FBS teams (all road games, of course), with the average scoring differential just over 13 points, skewed by the final outcomes of the Oregon and Wisconsin games (exclude those games and it's less than a TD).
Every conference talks about the "conference grind," but nowhere does it appear more applicable than the Valley.
Thus far, the Valley is 15-1 against FCS teams, the only loss the aforementioned Grizz game. The Valley is 2-8 against FBS teams (all road games, of course), with the average scoring differential just over 13 points, skewed by the final outcomes of the Oregon and Wisconsin games (exclude those games and it's less than a TD).
Every conference talks about the "conference grind," but nowhere does it appear more applicable than the Valley.
